Monday, April 9, 2012

Hammerheads Is Not Just a Broken Record BBQ Joint

The Small Kitchen is Smokin'

Is it possible for what appears to be a biker bar in the basement of a house in a working class neighborhood to serve some of the best All-American cuisine to be found? If you're lucky enough to experience Hammerheads in Louisville, you'll find out that it is indeed! Chef owners Adam Burress and Chase Mucerino (straight from being nominated as Food & WIne magazine's 2012 Best New Chefs), have taken southern and BBQ favorites to the next level and then some. We were thinking it sounded good, but had no idea it would be that good!

Dex Outside Hammerheads

Open for dinner only, we arrived with some of the crew sitting at the picnic tables outside, immediately greeting us and welcoming us to come inside. Our server was there to—well, serve us and he did a commendable job at doing so. We asked for suggestions and he didn't steer us wrong.

Spring Mix Salad

First up was the Spring Mix Salad…nothing out of the ordinary until a taste of the sage vinaigrette dressing came through. Carol was still digesting our earlier lunch at Jack Fry's (http://entertainingviewsfromcinti.blogspot.com/2012/02/jack-frys-evergreen-classic-in.html) and zeroed in on the Pulled Duck Slider and Sweet Potato Fries. I thought we should try some of the more adventurous fries on the menu, but she insisted on the sweet potato variety. "OK, but they'll just be like any others!" Wrong! How does one describe the best sweet potato fries ever? One can't. We'll just move on to the duck slider, which was moist and packed with flavor as well. We all liked the homemade

Pulled Duck Slider

BBQ sauce, a tangy and watery version provided on the table. Eric had the Lamb Burger Special topped with mint aioli, juicy throughout and cooked to his specifications. I had the Crispy Smoked Catfish, lightly coated with cornmeal and overhanging a slice of Texas toast. Homemade tartar sauce that was a minced up version with no mayonnaise completed the sandwich. As a side, I chose the Smoked Mac & Cheese—firm and lightly coated with a mild cheese, sprinkled with breadcrumbs and topped with truffle oil. We all found it delicious, but I can't stop thinking about those awesome sweet potato fries.

Lamb Burger and Sweet Potato Fries

Crispy Smoked Catfish
and Smoked Mac & Cheese

Bacon Brownie

For dessert we went with our server's recommendation of the Bacon Brownie with the bacon not only as a topping, but baked into the brownie as well and drizzled with caramel. Warm from the oven, it was an ample serving for the three of us to share.

How does a restaurant introduce the younger generation to fine cuisine? Hammerheads has found the way…give them a spin on food that is familiar and presented in a well thought out manner along with a beer list that adds to the enthusiasm. One might not think that such an establishment would be gluten-free and vegan friendly either, but it is! That all added up to a great experience for us and one that we'll be repeating ASAP.

About Dexter…

Dexter—professional listener

He ran his consulting business from a home he shared with us from the fall of 2010 to the spring of 2014. We all got along very well and liked to entertain and get together with our friends and families. He was a great listener and enjoyed tuning in to our thoughts on the entertaining things in life. We hope you enjoy the posts Dexter shared with us previous to his death in April of 2014. We promised him he would always be a part of the blog we all started together.